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Best must-see destinations in Asia

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Singapore
Tropical city-state of hawker food and gardens
9.5
Gardens by the Bay's Supertrees rise up to 50 metres tall, covered in living plants and vines. They light up in a synchronised show set to music after dark. Visitors can walk an elevated skywalk between the tallest structures. Marina Bay Sands' rooftop pool overlooks the gardens from across the water.
Highlights:
  • 🏮 Wander through Chinatown’s temples and traditional shophouses
  • 🌳 Visit Gardens by the Bay and its iconic Supertree Grove
  • 🌆 Admire the futuristic skyline from Marina Bay Sands SkyPark
Tokyo
Japan's capital of temples, towers and food
9.7
Shibuya Crossing sees as many as 3,000 pedestrians pass through at once when the lights change. Giant video screens surround the intersection on every side. Visitors can view the crossing from a cafe window on an upper floor nearby. Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa offers a quieter, older side of the city.
Highlights:
  • 🖼️ Visit the teamLab digital art museum
  • 🌆 Enjoy panoramic city views from observation decks
  • 🍣 Savour sushi at a local eatery
Hong Kong
Where East Meets West
9.3
Victoria Peak offers panoramic views over Hong Kong's harbour and skyline from its summit. A steep tram has carried passengers up the slope since 1888. Visitors can ride the tram before walking a loop trail around the peak. The Big Buddha statue on Lantau Island sits a ferry ride away.
Highlights:
  • 🥢 Shop and eat street food in Mong Kok’s bustling markets
  • ⛴️ Sail across Victoria Harbour on the iconic Star Ferry
  • 🌇 Ride the Peak Tram and admire skyline views from Victoria Peak
Istanbul
Where East meets West in stunning contrast
8.7
Hagia Sophia has served as both a Byzantine church and an Ottoman mosque across nearly 1,500 years. The Blue Mosque faces it directly across a small park in the old city. Visitors can wander both landmarks before browsing the covered Grand Bazaar nearby. The Bosphorus strait divides the city between Europe and Asia.
Highlights:
  • 👑 Explore the opulent Topkapi Palace and its imperial treasures
  • 🚤 Cruise along the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia
  • 🕌 Admire the grand Hagia Sophia’s domes and mosaics
Bangkok
The city of contrasts and chaos
8.6
The Grand Palace once served as the official residence of Thailand's kings in central Bangkok. Wat Arun's spire is decorated with thousands of pieces of broken porcelain. Visitors can cross the river by ferry to view the temple from the water. Street food stalls surround both landmarks well into the evening.
Highlights:
  • 🌇 Watch the sunset over Wat Arun by the Chao Phraya River
  • 🚤 Take a boat ride through Bangkok’s bustling floating markets
  • 🏯 Visit the glittering Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Temple
Kyoto
Temples, geisha districts and kaiseki dining
9.2
Fushimi Inari Shrine winds up a mountainside beneath thousands of vermilion torii gates. Each gate was donated by a business or individual hoping for good fortune. Visitors can hike the full trail to the summit in a couple of hours. Kinkaku-ji's golden pavilion offers a very different reflection across its still pond nearby.
Highlights:
  • ⛩️ Climb the vermillion torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine
  • 🍱 Experience Japan’s beautifully presented Kaiseki dining at a traditional restaurant
  • 🎋 Stroll through the magical Arashiyama bamboo forest early in the morning
Seoul
Where Tradition Meets High-Tech Marvels
8.6
Gyeongbokgung Palace served as the main royal residence of the Joseon dynasty for centuries. Guards in traditional dress perform a changing ceremony at its main gate several times a day. Visitors can rent a hanbok to wear while touring the palace grounds. Bukchon Hanok Village's traditional houses sit just up the hill behind it.
Highlights:
  • 🌇 Admire Seoul’s skyline from N Seoul Tower at sunset
  • 🛍️ Shop and eat street food in bustling Myeongdong
  • 🏯 Explore Gyeongbokgung Palace and watch the royal guard ceremony
Bali
Tropical beaches, vibrant culture and adventure
8.2
Tanah Lot temple perches on a rock formation just offshore in Bali, surrounded by water at high tide. Tegalalang's terraced rice paddies cascade down a nearby hillside in bright green steps. Visitors can watch the sunset silhouette the temple from the beach below. Uluwatu's clifftop temple adds another dramatic ocean view further south.
Highlights:
  • ⛪ Visit Uluwatu Temple perched high on a seaside cliff
  • 💦 Swim beneath the cascading Tegenungan Waterfall
  • 🌋 Watch the sunrise over Mount Batur volcano
Hanoi
Where tradition meets modern vibrancy
8.0
Hoan Kiem Lake sits at the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter, ringed by narrow winding streets. A red bridge leads to a small temple island in the middle of the water. Visitors can watch a water puppet show performed just steps from the lake. Street vendors sell pho from tiny plastic stools along nearby alleys.
Highlights:
  • 🚴‍♂️ Ride a cyclo through Hanoi’s Old Quarter’s narrow streets
  • 🏯 Admire the ancient architecture of the Temple of Literature
  • 🌅 Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and watch locals at sunrise
Beijing
Ancient history meets modern dynamism
8.9
The Great Wall stretches for thousands of kilometres across the hills north of Beijing. Sections like Mutianyu and Badaling remain popular day trips from the capital. Visitors can walk restored watchtowers along the ridgeline for sweeping views. The Forbidden City's red walls sit closer to the city centre itself.
Highlights:
  • 🌸 Explore the Summer Palace’s gardens and lakeside pavilions
  • 🧱 Climb the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu
  • 🏯 Walk across Tiananmen Square and visit the Forbidden City
Jerusalem
Ancient History Meets Modern Culture
8.8
The Western Wall remains the holiest site where Jews are permitted to pray. Pilgrims tuck folded prayer notes into cracks between its ancient stones. Visitors can walk through the Old City's narrow lanes to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre nearby. The Dome of the Rock's golden dome rises just above the same skyline.
Highlights:
  • ⛪ Walk the ancient Via Dolorosa to the Holy Sepulchre
  • 🏰 Climb the Tower of David for sweeping Old City views
  • 🕍 Visit the sacred Western Wall for prayer and reflection
Delhi
A Kaleidoscope of History and Culture
7.3
The Red Fort's sandstone walls have overlooked Old Delhi since Mughal emperors built it in the 1600s. India's prime minister still delivers a national address from its ramparts each August. Visitors can walk through its gates into courtyards and pavilions inside. The nearby spice markets of Chandni Chowk stay busy from morning until night.
Highlights:
  • 🌳 Walk through India Gate and relax in surrounding gardens
  • 🍢 Visit the bustling Chandni Chowk market for street food
  • 🏰 Explore the Red Fort’s majestic Mughal architecture
Petra
Ancient city carved into rose-red stone
Petra's Treasury facade emerges suddenly at the end of a narrow canyon called the Siq. Nabataean builders carved the structure into pink sandstone cliffs over 2,000 years ago. Visitors can ride a horse or walk through the gorge to reach it. Further inside, a monastery and hundreds of tombs remain carved into the rock.
Highlights:
  • 🏺 Explore the ancient Royal Tombs carved into cliffs
  • 🏛️ Climb 800 steps to the impressive Monastery (Al-Deir)
  • 🛤️ Walk through the narrow Siq gorge to the Treasury
Angkor Wat
Timeless stone guardians echo ancient devotion
Angkor Wat ranks as the largest religious monument on Earth, built by the Khmer Empire. Its towers were designed to represent the peaks of Mount Meru in Hindu cosmology. Visitors can arrive before dawn to watch the towers silhouette against the sunrise. Smaller temples like Ta Prohm sit nearby, swallowed by tree roots.
Highlights:
  • 🍜 Sample street food in Siem Reap night market
  • 🏞️ Hike through Ta Prohm ruins, embrace mossy architecture
  • 🌅 Explore sunrise at Angkor Wat's main temple
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